


Love is not Time's fool (or space's)

by TheDoctorin221b



Series: The Soulmates of Gallifrey [1]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Gallifreyan, M/M, Protective Doctor (Doctor Who), Protective River Song, Regeneration, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Time Lord Ianto Jones, Time Lord Toshiko, Time Lords and Ladies, Time lord fairytales, wibbly wobbly timey wimey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 06:41:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14279235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDoctorin221b/pseuds/TheDoctorin221b
Summary: Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeksWithin his bending sickle's compass come;Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,But bears it out even to the edge of doom.The first Time Lords made a deal with fate and so millions of years later, a pair of time lord twins are matched to an immortal captain and a snarky doctor.





	1. Chapter 1

“Daddy, daddy, tell us a story.” Two sleepy yet excited children asked jumping on their beds

“Ok, one story but then you must go to sleep, or the Daleks will know ok?” Their father warned in a mock serious tone making both children go quiet and get into their beds for a story.

“It is said that in the first days of Gallifrey there were only three Time Lords in existence, so in order to help their planet and species grow they made a deal with fate. That in exchange for their immortal souls fate would help the Time Lord race grow, she found each Time Lord a person they were destined to be with and marked their skin with the name of their destined in Old Gallifreyan name. However this meant that unless both parties were Gallifreyan only one would know if their name was on the other and that meant some people lost their soulmates, spent their whole life looking for their name on someone else that they missed it. So my advice to you kids, live life, love like every person is your soulmate and one day, you may just find them. Now, time for sleep, I love you both.” The father finished kissing both children before leaving the room with one last look at the sleeping children.

Little did he know that as 4 year old twins Rosie and Ianto Song fell asleep both dreaming of a person with their name marked on them, the elegant circles entwining them in time and space, the other two people in question did practically the same thing.

Owen Harper fell asleep at 4 years old curled up, hungry and cold, tear tracks, snot and dirt messing his face and hair and almost hiding the bruises hidden under his baggy second-hand clothes. He shivered and pulled himself into a tighter ball, blocking out the sound of his mother and step-father arguing again. He choked back a sob as it became louder using his arm to cover his eyes as the door opened, playing asleep until the person left, uninterested. As he lowered his arm again he noticed the marks again, not inflicted but a somewhere between a strange birthmark and a tattoo he was born with. The mark was an elegant and interweaving array of circles, hexagons and lines spreading halfway around his wrist, he knew deep down it meant something important but he didn’t know what. So he fell asleep clutching his wrist tight protecting the mark he didn’t know was the true name of the future love of his life.

When Jack looked down at the marked wrist as well, wondering why The Doctor hadn’t felt anything when he kissed him, that last time, before he died the first time. If it was even the Doctor’s name, but he knew it was. He had seen other Gallifreyan writing in the TARDIS’ library and on a cot in a small unused room a million corridors from the main console, covered in dust and silence and he had left feeling like he was intruding on a tomb or lost memory. He sighed and took another drink intent to ignore the constant pain of rejection and try and fall asleep. However deep down he knew it wasn’t the Doctor’s name on his wrist, but knew it was related to him and he always remember what he saw when he first died. A smiling face, youthful and happy, with a button nose and blue eyes that shone like an entire universe of stars with intelligence and immortality that would haunt him for the rest of his long life.


	2. Chapter 2

“This is a terrible idea, why can’t we just travel around having adventures and stuff. It’s much more fun than a desk job.” Tosh said in disgust.

“You know why, you remember them, both Captain Jack and that doctor guy are our destined, they have both our names, so we need to work there to gain their trust and you know eventually, get them.” Ianto replied.

The twins were sat in the den, a room in the TARDIS they had organised to be a hang-out room where the twins could be themselves and talk, while tonight Ianto had brought some pizza and beers while they planned what to do to get their soulmates. At this point Ianto was 19 and Tosh, who used to be known as Rosie, was also 19 but after a regeneration last year now looked 21. Tosh frowned, her mind working up a plan, as she knew from research Torchwood three was run by Jack after the death of the old leader on New Year 2000, Owen Harper was recruited in 2006. She had researched and found out that she was recruited in 2004 and then Ianto in early 2007. She knew these spoilers were dangerous but she needed the dates and had stopped herself from reading more.

“I’ll do something drastic, get Jack to recruit me, after that he finds Owen, then you. But you need to get some experience, we’re going in as innocent humans so, you’ll need to build show you have knowledge in alien stuff that others don’t.” Tosh said, watching as her brother nodded thoughtfully.

“So, what do you think I should do? Join UNIT? Kate and Malcom already love us so it’ll be easy to get a job there.” Ianto said with a cheeky grin.

“No, too easy and he’ll wonder why you left, you need to join something where leaving wasn’t a choice. Like Torchwood 1.” Tosh said as inspiration struck her.

“Great idea, let’s do it.” Ianto said high fiving his twin.

Both twins grinned as their plan began to form and make sense over the course of the evening until all was left was empty pizza boxes, beer bottles and two tired teens.

“Still can’t believe your soulmate is the fabled Captain Jack, like dad used to tell us stories about him when we kids, he was our childhood hero, the empty child, slitheen and Daleks and Utopia and everything. Now we find out you’re going to end up with him, its hard to imagine.

“Tell me about it, it’s strange but it feels like I know him already from all the stuff dad says about him.” Ianto said with a dopey grin that made his sister roll her eyes.

“Ok, I’m tired, tomorrow we’re putting this plan into action, creating the papers and making us into anatomical humans for a while, then we’ll drop us both in London 2004 and I’ll go to Lodmoor. You sure you’re going to be alright for 2 years, it’s going to be the longest we’ve been apart.” Tosh asked worriedly.

“I’ll be fine, anyway we’ll be busy and are we forgetting fact that you once vanished for 6 months, that worried me, I’ll text you everyday sis don’t worry. Goodnight.” Ianto said before squeezing his sister’s hand and leaving.

Tosh sighed it was going to be a long few years, but she knew it would all work out alright, she remember how many times she’d seen Owen. He seemed to pop up in her life a lot and she had now convinced herself it was fate. She lay back on her bed and began to relive the memories as she fell asleep, a smile on her face.

_She was five and she met him in the park, he was seven and grinned with missing teeth, he winced when he moved and it made her sad when she saw the bruised as his old, ripped shirt moved. She asked her dad later if she could have taken him with them, he said the boy was human and belonged on earth. Owen flinched and then stiffened when she ran at him and hugged him goodbye._

_She was twelve and met him in hospital, he was twelve as well and had his leg in a cast while she had her arm in one from falling while running away from cybermen, he laughed when she told him that and said he fell from a tree. Both knew the other was lying._

_She was sixteen and she found him on the street, he was cold and soaked from the rain, she took him to stay with Craig, Sophie and Alfie. He smiling so happily when his new brother hugged him and his new parents loved him without question. She left without anyone noticing, a smile on her own face._

_She was eighteen the incident happened._


	3. Chapter 3

The cell was small and boring and made Tosh wonder why she thought this was a good plan, everyday she waiting for Jack Harkness to appear and everyday her hope got smaller and smaller. Until one day he when her hope for her dad’s old friend had almost died, he opened the door and stood in front of her larger than life. She took the job immediately with only a small thought about what happened to the teselecta acting as her human mother.

It took less than a year for him to show up but he was nothing she ever expected. Owen Harper showed up on day one hungover and in a terrible mood making their first proper introduction not the most positive. She thought it was a one-time thing brought on by the death of his fiancée (not that she was jealous or a tiny bit relieved she was out of the way) so she gave him the benefit of the doubt, offered him a polite smile and a peace offering of coffee. It never really got better but on the bright side, she got to meet a very early version of her dad and learn new thing and see, maybe not the best aliens or their tech, but some new types of driftwood technology and species from the rift.

Her best time, between starting and waiting for her brother, was Christmas 2006, the small team had a party, Owen and her both got very drunk until the early hours of the morning, at which point the both left to get taxis home. Owen looked at her drunkenly and she then gave a small shy smile and pointed out the mistletoe above them. Owen had grinned and leaned forward at the same time as her, the kiss was electrifying, sending shockwaves of undeniable pleasure through both their bodies. It instantly sobered up the both of them and left them hot heaving messes as they came apart for air. Owen looked as shocked as she did and was about to say something before a taxi beeped next to them, he left suddenly leaving her confused and rejected but also happy that she now had to proof she needed. Her name was written on him, she knew it more that she knew anything.

Ianto started a few weeks into 2007 but he wasn’t the carefree brother she once knew, instead of her joyful twin brother, the Ianto that joined Torchwood 3 after the fall of Torchwood 1 was withdrawn, sad and didn’t seem to have a proper job within the team except cleaner and butler. She tried talking to him, tried to get her brother back but all her attempts seem to be ignored or resented, making her fell hopeless until she finally had it. She argued with him, got him to talk to her and found out what he was hiding, she wanted to help, but didn’t know what to do. Cybermen were evil, even half converted, keeping them would put everyone at risk. But her brother loved the girl and he looked so broken, so she promised to do some research. Not knowing it would reveal them and destroy their whole plan and bring down the wrath of the time lord upon one Jack Harkness


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very ooc Tosh here but she's a protective sister and she's pissed off.

It happened almost too quickly for Tosh to realise what was happening, she had agreed to make sure the team were out of the hub for a few moments so Ianto could sneak in the dodgy guy he found. She didn’t agree with this but there was no convincing him against helping her, he therefore could only learn the hard way that she was no longer the human girlfriend that Ianto loved. It wasn’t meant to be anyway, both of them knew it, he was destined to be with another and she was (or used to be) human, she didn’t understand the long and complex life a Time Lord would lead, but Ianto was depressed at her loss, he wouldn’t listen to any reason or argument she tried to tell him.

 

 The hub was completely dark, the only light was coming from the torch Jack was pointing at a kneeling Ianto as well as a gun. He was broken but he was talking sense, asking them when they’d last asked about his life. She’s tried to get him to become a more stable member of the team but he’d somehow snuck into the shadows. The Time Lord that was her brother had turned into a quiet Tea Boy. She watched not knowing what to and was brought back to when the twins had been in a similar situation.

_“Drop your weapons or your son will be more brainless than he is now!” The alien sneered, pointing a gun at Ianto’s head as it held his struggling body still with its giant tentacles._

_Dad looked shocked and scared while Mum just looked pissed as she threw down her blaster. Tosh simply looked as her fifteen year old twin stilled and locked eyes with her giving the smallest of nods._

_The gun slid out of her sleeve in lightning fast time and she barely heard her Dad’s warning shout before she shot._

_Green blood mixed with red on the metal of the spaceship as both alien and Time Lord fell to the ground, neither was moving._

_“WHAT DID YOU DO?  GET BACK IN THE TARDIS NOW!” Tosh was shocked, she’d never heard her dad shouted, never had he been that angry at her._

_She watched from a silent corner of the control room as mum and dad carried Ianto to the medical room, her parents were in that room for hours and by that time her tears had dried out as left her curled up on the console chairs._

_She was roused by a pair of soft hands shaking her gently, she looked up blearily, her eyes red, to see her father looking worried, guilty and exhausted. He maneuverer so he could sit next to her and took her hand._

_“He’s ok, it just grazed his forehead, its healing rapidly because of what we are. I’m sorry for shouting at you.” The Doctor answered looking down at their linked hands sadly._

_“It’s Ok dad, I’m sorry for being reckless.” Tosh answered in a small voice._

_“Don’t do it again, I only have one regeneration left and I’m already going grey because of you two, now go visit your brother, then go to sleep.” The Doctor said helping his daughter up._

_Ianto was pale and had a bandage over his head, mum said next him and gave her a stern look when she entered the room, which she answered with an apologetic one. However all was seemingly forgotten when Ianto sat up and opened his eyes, grinning at his sister with an impressed look._

_“Good shot sis.” He joked._

_“How are you?” She asked worriedly._

_“Bit of a headache but I’ll live.” He answered softly giving her confirmation of the praise he was giving._

_She gave a watery smiled and hugged him tight._

The gun felt heavy in her hands but she still held it up to Jack’s head.

“Lower your gun or this one goes off.” Tosh said her voice deadly

The reaction was instantaneous, Jack stiffened and began to lower the gun, Ianto looked shocked as he moved his arms from his head and from the corner of her eye she saw Owen pull Gwen behind him, that one stung.

“Ianto call Dad.” Her words were clipped and short, her anger hidden just below the surface.

“But Tosh-” Ianto tried to argue but was already reaching for his phone.

“No Ianto, we need dad, this is what you get for not listening to me when I tell you that wasn’t her anymore. Make the call Jones.” The fake surname made him flinch and a wave of guilt hit her.

“I don’t know what you’re doing but put the gun down now and we can talk about it.” Jack said slowing turning to face Tosh the gun now levelled with his forehead.

“No we can’t, you ignored and used my brother from the moment he started. We used to look up to you Jack Harkness, we were told bedtime stories about all your heroic deeds ‘Oh Jack, he saved us from the gas mask monsters’ but your nothing like that, you take the most vulnerable people in society and make them work for you and your twisted organisation.” Tosh spat her anger finally unleashed, her eyes turning into a swirling amber of pure energy and she wasn’t done.

“The mourning Doctor with an alcohol addiction who needed a purpose, the police officer bored with her mundane life and boyfriend and then us two, what you thought was a criminal genius left to rot in a cell and a broken Torchwood 1 survivor. We were the outcasts, the broken and the lost, you took us in and then instead of helping us you left us to it, gave us a small rift in time and space and all the shit that comes with it and then locked yourself in your memories, only noticing us when we did something wrong. I-” She had so much more to say but then her whole body felt like it was on fire.

She felt a cold, hard hand clamp onto her shoulder, electricity surged through her body and as she screaming, the pain bringing her to her knees she thought she distantly heard the warping of home, she prayed it was true as darkness enveloped her.


	5. Chapter 5

“Lisa stop, please.” Ianto pleaded as his sister fell to the ground, not moving.

“ _WE ARE NOT COMPATABLE!”_ The Cyberwoman who used to be his girlfriend said void of all emotion.

She reached out her hand towards him and he closed his eyes, accepting his fate as was right because of his mistake, for thinking she was really in there and bringing her into their sanctuary, putting his soulmate and everyone at risk and killing his sister, he deserved the cold painful electricity that was reaching towards him.

Suddenly there was a loud bang and he felt his another body hit his own and drag him to the floor, opening his eyes with a shocked gasp he saw Jack above him shielding him from the blaster fire he could see his mother raining down on his ex-girlfriend.

“Captain, get the hell off my son.” River Song thundered with a very angry glare, the one the twins usually got when they’d messed with deadly aliens or wandered off on strange planets.

Jack looked offended at the glare he was getting but moved off effectively leaving Ianto to scramble over Tosh, dad was knelt next to her looking concerned.

“Ianto, we need to get her to the TARDIS.”

“No, Ianto needs to fix his problem, you can do it son.” River Song said joining her family.

She looked at her son, tear tracks on his cheeks and a look of utter vulnerability, she knew her son was in pain but he wasn’t a child any longer. He needed to do this, to free himself from Lisa and truly be accepted by this mess of a Torchwood Team. She carefully placed the blaster in his trembling hands, holding it firmly there when he tried to push it away shaking his head and looking pleadingly at his mother.

“Look at me Ianto, you are a descendant of Gallifrey, we don’t run away when things are hard, she’s not in there anymore and if she is she’s suffering, so excruciatingly that the only way to save her is to do this.” River Song said passionately holding his head in her hands so he would look at her.

She kissed his forehead as she saw him stealing himself, putting up metal barriers and going somewhere happier inside his head to cope with what he was about to do. Ianto Jones stood and walked towards the basement.

“You three, get in that box now.” River growled as she helped her husband pick up their daughter.

Inside the TARDIS she snapped at the two humans to move as they stood in the doorway gaping and silently enjoyed seeing them jump away in fear of her. They quickly headed towards the medical bay but were stopped by the worried voice of Doctor Owen Harper.

“Is there anything I can do to help, I’m a Doctor.” He asked with a small glance at the mother.

“Dr Owen Harper, we know, different biology but you can try, come on.” The Doctor said and they both walked off leaving the human to follow.

Ianto entered the TARDIS after fifteen minutes but it looked like he’d aged years, once inside the door he let the blaster clatter to the floor and as the gravity of his deed fell on him he felt his knees give way and was glad when comforting arms caught him looking up to see the concerned face of Captain Jack Harkness.

“Why don’t you take a rest, where’s your room?” Jack asked softly leading him slowly up the steps to the main console.

As Ianto muttered directions and Jack lead him they were quiet for a few moment before Jack’s questions got the better of him.

“So you’re both time-lords?” Jack asked

“Yeah, twins.” Ianto answered tiredly.

“But if you live here and have the whole universe to explore, why did you both want to become Torchwood agents, why give this all up? What for?” Jack asked looking over at the other man who closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow, to everyone. This is my room.” Ianto said nodding to a door with his name on in childish building blocks.

Jack looked at it and then noticed the small white handprints that made a path towards the door that he’d missed and the door opposite with the word ROSIE in pink building blocks, Jack cocked his head in confusion to which Ianto simply shrugged, before entering the room and shutting the door once more.

Ianto only slept a few hours before waking up and joining Jack, Gwen and surprisingly Osgood in the small kitchen right next to the medical bay. He smiled thankfully at seeing his good friend and sort of cousin as she ran to hug him.

“How are you? Your mum told me everything when she had a second, I would say don’t stay there but us time lords stick to our plans of hiding in plain sight as organisation workers, here drink this, there’s biscuits too if you want some.” Osgood babbled handing Ianto a steaming cup of tea.

“I prefer coffee now, I don’t want biscuits but I know where they are if I change my mind, if you’re here does that mean Mis is too?” Ianto said sitting down at the breakfast bar.

“Yeah your parents and the human doc are stumped so they called mum and I tagged along to help you with moral support and met these interesting two, actually I mean the interesting captain guy and boring human. Also sorry about what’s about to happen to you in a few months Cap, my mum was a bit unhinged when she was my dad.” Osgood said as she fiddle around the kitchen.

“Um thanks, I think. So I guess you’re a time lord too, are you Rosie?” Jack asked jumping to conclusions.

“What no, I’m the daughter of a different time lord, Missy also known as another name but spoilers because you need to find that out yourself soon, also can’t tell you who Rosie is sorry but you’d like her she was awesome and she turned into a genius.” Osgood said with a wink that made Ianto snort.

Just as Jack was about to ask more questions a dazed looking Owen walked in followed by River Song and Missy the latter who grinned when she saw Ianto.

“My favourite godson is awake, heard your girlfriend tried to kill, what is it with time lords and attracting the killers huh.” Missy smirked glancing sideways at River Song.

She was joking Ianto knew but there was an undertone of concern that meant he didn’t wince.

“More fun, come on you two, we need to talk.” River said addressing Ianto and Osgood.

Inside the medical bay Tosh was sat in the bed looking exhausted and holding her bandaged shoulder with a wince. She gave her brother and friend a small smile when they entered and stiffened when Missy shut the door loudly behind Ianto.

“Ok now Owen knows and he didn’t take it very well, I suggest we wipe their memories.” River suggested sitting down next to Tosh’s bed.

“I think that’s the best idea as well, we need more time for them to get used to the idea of time lords and soulmates and everything.” Tosh agreed looking at Ianto with a questioning look.

“Will it work on Jack though?”

“It will if I place false memories instead of completely erasing them.” The Doctor said.

He looked harrowed and Ianto knew he was reliving the memories of Donna and what he had to do in the end, he walked over and placed a comforting hand on his father’s shoulder, he looked up and gave Ianto a grateful smile.

“Alright, shall we start with the annoying Doctor? Not you, idiot.” Missy said poking her tongue out at the Doctor when he looked offended.

The whole room nodded and looked away when Owen entered the room avoiding Tosh’s eyes, he stepped back when the Doctor came towards him but Missy was blocking the door so he could do nothing as the Doctor placed his hands at his head and changed his memories of the last few hours, afterwards Owen slumped down unconscious and River moved him to one of the beds.

Gwen struggled even harder, Missy had to hold her still and place a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming and alerting Jack, it took longer because of her resistance but after a few moments it was done and the ex-cop was lying in a bed next to Owen Harper.

Jack looked resigned, like he knew what was coming, he didn’t try and fight, simple gave Ianto a cocky grin before stepping up to the Doctor’s raised hands.

After it was done the team set the humans and Jack back at their desks in the hub and made it look like Lisa had destroyed the place before it was time for the Doctor, River, Missy and Osgood to go. They all hugged and told each other to look after themselves before Ianto asked a question that had been bugging him.

“What were the memories you gave them?” He asked.

“Lisa tried to kill you, you tried to get her to see reason and then you put her down.” Ianto flinched before nodding resigned, he’d have to regain their trust.

He didn’t see his dad share a glance with his mum about all the things they didn’t say, the kiss between Ianto and his soulmate and between Owen and Gwen that he’d had to put so the latter two thought it was real.

After the warping died away both looked at each other, emotionally and mentally spent.

“You go change, I’ll start cleaning up.” Tosh said, a hand on his shoulder grounding him to reality.

“Thank you, you were right about everything.” Ianto said his voice hollow.

“Don’t think about stuff right now, later we can go over it ok.” Tosh said knowing her brother’s coping mechanisms.

They were so different in that way, Rosie used to get too emotional and lash out in any way possible, tears and fists let out in one big bang whereas now Tosh could keep together better, being calm and controlled until she was alone when she could let it out. Ianto however, he stewed on things kept them in for way too long until they reach boiling point and cascaded out like a hurricane and were locked away again the emotions gone as quickly as they had appeared. Tosh could see that today was a big boiling point but unless the team wanted to witness a very angry time lord they were going to have to wait till they got back to Tosh’s flat.

The next few hours passed in a blur and things seemed to return to normal, Owen went home followed suspiciously closely by Gwen and Tosh settle in for the night shift with Ianto pottering about in the kitchen making himself scarce. Sometime around midnight however Jack appeared from his office, he saw Ianto near her desk handing her coffee and announced.

“I’m going down to get some sleep now. Also just for the record, fake memories are easy to define, once you know what to look for. Goodnight.” He said almost jovially.

The twins shared a look, shock and fear clear on both their faces.

“Oh shit.” Ianto said dropping down on the sofa

“We’re fucked.” Tosh agreed.


End file.
